


We’re Falling Apart (and Coming Together Again and Again)

by 0ceansgayt



Series: PP Rare Pair Week 2018 [3]
Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/F, Kidfic, Pregnancy, Rare pair week 2018, Single Parent AU, except not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-11
Updated: 2018-04-11
Packaged: 2019-04-21 11:37:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14284092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/0ceansgayt/pseuds/0ceansgayt
Summary: She shouldn’t have been so happy, not when her wife let someone else into their home - especially not when Beca could have the children that she couldn’t - but she couldn’t help it. Beca and her baby were everything she and Chloe had ever wanted and needed in life.And really, it was okay to be excited - Aubrey just didn’t expect to fall in love with her.





	We’re Falling Apart (and Coming Together Again and Again)

**Author's Note:**

> So this isn’t really a single parent thing so much as cute as fuck okay. I hope y’all like it because I love this. 
> 
> Drop me a review if you’d like ;) 
> 
> Written for PP Rare Pair Week!

The last thing she had expected to see at the Bellas reunion was Beca, waddling into the aquarium with a hand on her very swollen, very _pregnant_ stomach.

She nudged her wife gently, eyes wide and questioning. Especially questioning when Chloe seemed to know _everything_ about the situation.

“Oh, yeah, she’s due in a month or so…” Chloe stage whispered, earning another nudge to the side from Aubrey. “Jesse left her when she told him...said it was too much responsibility or something.”

Oh. So that explained the awkwardness between the two. Last she heard, they broke up and were on amicable terms.

Aubrey’s nostrils flared angrily, hands set on her hips as though she was going to fly up and knock Jesse’s lights out. She was certainly liable to do it, Chloe’s hand on her forearm would do nothing to stop it.

Not that she liked Beca or anything, because she didn’t. The hobbit was infuriating at best.

Aubrey spent her evening glaring at Jesse and stealing glances at Beca’s stomach, a pang of jealousy in her own. They left much too early for everyone’s liking, exchanging numbers again as though their next reunion would be sooner than the five years it took them this time.

She went home and made love to Chloe until the sunlight streamed through the windows, as though it would magically cure her infertility problems they had been trying to battle for two years.

———

Chloe had been unusually quiet for days, barely even listening when Aubrey would talk about her day at work or a stupid anecdotal thing that one of her coworkers did.

It was worrying.

If there was a human version of little miss chatterbox, Chloe would be it. She was a nonstop ball of energy that manifested itself in busy chatter most of the day. Aubrey couldn’t recall a time where their home was so quiet - not in the two years they had been married or the near decade that they had been dating.

And then it finally happened, over a bowl of canned soup, nonetheless.

“I think we should call Beca.”

Aubrey almost choked on her glass of lemon water. She sputtered for a second before taking a deep breath and looking at Chloe in shock. “Why would we do that?”

“Because she’s alone and she’s pregnant, Aubrey.” She explained, as though it were the most obvious thing in the universe.

The familiar look of jealousy made its way back onto Aubrey’s face momentarily before it cleared giving way to a sharp nod. “If that’s what you think is best.”

Aubrey didn’t hover - not usually, at least - but she couldn’t focus when Chloe announced that she was going to call Beca. Her heart was racing and stomach flipping nervously. Not that she was jealous or anything. Most certainly not.

“Hey, Becs! I was just calling to check on you...oh, I’m sorry, that’s too bad…” Chloe trailed off, pensive look on her face.

Aubrey wanted to interject - to ask her what was wrong with Beca - but she pursed her lips and moved into the kitchen. Her hands hovered above the sink, contemplating whether she should start on the dishes or not.

“Oh wow, that’s amazing. I’ve always wanted a little girl.”

Chloe’s words had Aubrey’s heart sinking, hands pulling back from the tap they rested on shakily. A familiar sick feeling settled in the pit of her stomach - something she hadn’t felt in years, it had seemed.

She decided that the dishes could, in fact wait.

It wasn’t spying when Chloe was having a conversation plain as day in the living room, but Aubrey felt wrong even looking into the room. Mostly for the pit of jealous rage her stomach had seemed to turn into, lip drawn between her teeth angrily. She ground down, a sort of half snarl on her face as she tried in vain to block out their conversation.

The familiar metallic twang of blood filled her mouth before she realized that she was biting down hard enough to cause damage, a muttered curse leaving her lips as she swiped at her bottom lip. She was angry, more at herself than she was Chloe or Beca - but why did stupid Beca always have to come around with her stupid ear piercings and drag Chloe down this inevitable hole of obsession?

The thought of losing her life and wife to Beca fucking Mitchell was unsettling. How would she ever live with herself knowing that Beca was everything Chloe wanted and she could bear children? Her stomach swirled nervously, one hand settling on her upper abdomen as she fought to calm the restlessness inside.

Aubrey promptly threw up into the sink, Chloe hissing out a curse and apologizing to Beca for having to end their call so suddenly.

“Oh honey, are you feeling okay?” Chloe cooed, turning the tap on and rubbing Aubrey’s back gently.

“Yeah uh, sudden nausea. I’m feeling fine now though.” Aubrey smiled weakly, fingers white knuckled on the sink as she gripped and tried to fight back tears.

The look on Chloe’s face was almost magical, eyes wide and smile hopeful. It reminded Aubrey of all of the times she and Chloe had tried for children, trepidation giving way to the small hopeful smiles - the most recent one seen tenfold when Chloe was talking to Beca. The thought almost made her sick again.

“Call me crazy, but what if you’re...I can’t say it, it’s bad juju.” Chloe bit her bottom lip, rocking on the balls of her feet. “Ohmygod, Bree! You and Beca can have babies around the same time, they’ll grow up together!”

No, it couldn’t be possible. Not with how much they had tried, exhausting almost every avenue.

She offered Chloe a watery smile, shaking her head slightly. “Honey no. Though that would be fun, wouldn’t it?”

Chloe’s face fell and she nodded slowly, as though she couldn’t fathom why Aubrey wouldn’t be pregnant, as though she had forgotten every bit of struggle they’ve undergone throughout the past two years. “Oh. Well, it would be nice.”

Stupid Beca and her stupid pregnancy, Aubrey bitterly thought.

She wasn’t typically a bitter person, not one to be jealous of others, but this one hit home pretty hard. She was sure that Beca didn’t even want a baby, let alone a daughter, and after all that she and Chloe had struggled with? Aubrey wanted to punch Beca in her stupid face.

Her face contorted into one of jealousy with a veil of disappointment covering it, shoulders slumping slightly. She turned on the ball of her toe, back to the sink and turning the water to a temperature that was enough to boil someone alive.

“Don’t shut me out, Aubrey.” Chloe started weakly, arms hanging limply at her sides. She looked confused and torn, the opposite of how Aubrey felt inside.

“I’m doing the dishes now.” She deadpanned, wincing as her hands dipped into the scalding water and turning red upon impact.

Aubrey worked silently for a moment, scrubbing the dishes with entirely too much force for ones that she had rinsed prior. She could feel Chloe’s gaze burning into her back, only fueling on the erratic scrubbing.

“You’re going to burn your hands.”

“I’m not.” She punctuated her words with an overzealous scrub to the cup in her hand, involuntarily squeezing a little bit too tightly. There was a pop, glass shattering in Aubrey’s hand from the force.

“Aubrey!” Chloe was at her side, hand resting on Aubrey’s shoulder as she tried to inspect her hands.

“Don’t fucking touch me.” She hissed, running her hands under the still hot water and turning abruptly, exiting the room with the water still running.

Aubrey knew she should be more careful - that she should have probably finished the dishes and turned the water off - but she was so bitter and hurt that she didn’t care. Her hands were red and raw from the water, cut up and bleeding in a few places the cup had caught. She winced, running her hands under the cool water at the bathroom sink before pulling back and patting them dry.

Outbursts like these were rare now, almost nonexistent as she aged, but there was just something about Beca and the hopeful glimmer of happiness in Chloe’s eyes that made her want to rampage.

There was a knock at the bathroom door, timid and soft, as though Chloe was afraid to even make a sound. The thought of her wife being scared of her made Aubrey cringe, shoulder slumping in defeat as she turned the water off. “Come in.”

The door creaked open - something Aubrey had been meaning to oil for a while now - Chloe standing in the doorway with her hands stuffed in her pockets. The look on her face broke Aubrey’s heart, the soft pout almost too much to handle.

“I’m sorry, Chlo.”

“About what? Oh, the cup? It’s fine, sweetheart.” Chloe offered up a small smile, shrugging.

“No, but the cup. This whole…” Aubrey gestures around them wildly. “This mess. I’m sorry.”

Chloe nodded slowly before turning and walking to the bedroom. The usual bounce in her step was missing, something that made Aubrey’s heart ache.

“It’s okay, you know?” Chloe murmured, slipping into bed and patting Aubrey’s side gently. “Come here, let me check your hands out.”

Aubrey crawled into bed despite still being in her leggings and t shirt, drawing her knees up to her chest and holding her hands out for Chloe to examine. She hissed as her wife poked at the skin gently, hands still sore from the boiling water. They weren’t blistered, thankfully, but would still be sore for a few days.

“You’ve stopped bleeding, it was only a few small spots.” Chloe whispered, taking Aubrey’s hands in her own and gently kissing her palms. “I’m sorry, baby.”

“For what?”

“Bringing up the whole baby thing. It sets you off.”

A protest died on Aubrey’s lips when she realized that yeah, the baby thing did set her off. She shrugged and reclined against the headboard, pulling her comforter over her chest and grabbing her book from the bedside table.

“How about we just forget it ever happened?”

———

The week that followed was almost normal. Almost, except there was the whole Beca issue. She was nearing her due date and Chloe was so excited‍, which directly correlated to Aubrey’s sour attitude.

She spent more time at the office, buried in paperwork at home if only to check over the same mundane forms over and over. It was evident that she was trying to avoid a conversation, presumably about children or Beca.

Chloe had noticed the shift in her wife’s attitude, frowning every time Aubrey flashed her a tight lipped smile and said that everything was fine. She could tell that it was not fine - it was anything but, really - but there was nothing she could do but brush past it and try to be happy.

They were sitting at the kitchen table when the topic came up again, Aubrey looking over the same contract for a fifth time that evening while Chloe graded the ninth grade math tests.

“I spoke to Beca today.” She started, lip between her teeth and math tests long forgotten.

“You spoke to...oh, that’s nice.” Aubrey nodded slowly, tight lipped smile on her face.

“She’s coming to live with us. Well, at least for a while.”

“Well, that’s n-wait, what?” Aubrey’s head shot up, unreadable expression on her face. Her gaze turned to one of anger, standing from her chair.

“She’s sick, it’s got something to do with vertigo and her stomach.” Chloe spoke hesitantly, lip drawn between her teeth. “So I told her she could stay here.”

“Oh. Well, that’s...interesting.”

“Don’t shut me out, Aubrey.” Chloe started, though Aubrey was already charging back to the bedroom with tears in her eyes.

———

Not much after, the shrill pierce of the doorbell sounded through the home, breaking both women out of their silence. Chloe had been pacing the floor of the kitchen nervously, humming along to her iPod playing on the speaker.

Aubrey, however, had holed herself up in the bedroom with a book and a glass of wine. Saying she was nervous was an understatement - her hands were shaking as she struggled to keep her focus on the book in her hands.

At the sound of the door, Chloe had jumped up and ran to the front hall. She hesitated, hand on the doorknob for a moment before taking a deep breath and opening the door.

“Beca, hi! Come in. Do you need help with your bags?” Chloe rushed out, barreling forward to embrace the smaller woman with a grin.

Beca looked - god bless her soul - quite frazzled, arms hanging limply at her sides as Chloe tried to press their bodies together. It was a little more awkward than usual, given Beca’s newly changed frame and swollen stomach.

“Yeah, uh, they’re in the car.” Beca pulled back, hand resting on the swell of her stomach as she kicked her shoes off.

“I’ll get them.” Came a gravelly voice, thick with freshly shed tears.

Aubrey was standing at the end of the hallway, shoulders half sagged and reading glasses propped on the top of her head, tangled with the loose hair falling from her bun. She offered Beca a small wave, slipping Chloe’s boots onto her feet and holding her hand out. “Keys? So I can get your bags.”

“You don’t have to.” Beca smiled awkwardly, shrugging her shoulders.

“No, I’ll get it. Go sit.” Aubrey took the keys and started out the door, grabbing her purse along the way.

Both Chloe and Beca stood dumbfounded in the hall, silence falling over them. Beca picked nervously at the hem of her shirt before moving towards the door and slipping her shoes on.

“Don’t go! I mean, she’ll come around. She’s...you know how Bree is.”

“No, I know. I’m just going to go...uh, make sure she’s okay.”

Chloe nodded, watching as Beca started out the door. She knew that realistically, Aubrey wouldn’t do anything to harm Beca - or the baby - but she was still nervous. This whole situation made Chloe nervous, if she were being honest. She feared that Aubrey would be upset with her for bringing Beca to the house - feared that their marriage wouldn’t survive it.

Leaving Chloe to fret inside, Beca tentatively opened the door and stepped outside. She noticed Aubrey sitting on the porch, hunched over with one hand resting on the stair beside her.

“I can feel you staring at me.” She deadpanned, turning around with a cigarette poised between her lips. “You should go inside, I’ll bring your stuff up in a second.”

“I’m not leaving.” Beca eased herself down into the chair across from Aubrey, hand resting on her stomach before dropping to her side. She studied Aubrey carefully, watching as she turned her head and blew a stream of smoke from her lips.

“You should go.” Aubrey sighed, putting the cigarette back to her lips and inhaling again. “Smoke’s bad for the baby.”

“I’m not leaving.” Beca was more firm this time, crossing her ankles for emphasis.

Aubrey sighed again, flicking her cigarette into the yard and leaning back in her chair. She jiggled her leg nervously before stopping abruptly for a second and staring at Beca, eyes narrowed in half confusion. “Why did you come out here?”

There was a beat of silence, Beca running her hand through her hair and shaking her head. She opened her mouth to speak, words dying on her lips. It took her a moment to regain the courage to speak, nodding slowly before she could force the words out.

“I’m not going to steal your wife, you know?”

Aubrey softened considerably, offering Beca a weak smile. The sincerity behind the younger woman’s gaze was heartwarming, the smile she offered more genuine than anything Aubrey had seen over the years.

“Not directly you won’t.” Aubrey’s smile was sad, eyes looking anywhere but at Beca. “But I see the way Chloe looks at you...and the baby. I know it’s not your fault.” She shrugged lamely before standing and twirling Beca’s car keys around her finger. “I’m going to go get those bags...you should go inside and wash up before bed.”

“Yeah, uh, of course.” Beca nodded, watching carefully as Aubrey hopped down the steps and retreated down the driveway towards her car.

———

Aubrey and Beca had gotten along relatively well over the week that she had been staying there, Aubrey offering up her spot in bed to Beca with the claim that she was pregnant and didn’t need to sleep on the stiff recliner.

Instead, Aubrey decided to drag the recliner into the bedroom and sleep on it at the foot of the bed, oftentimes staying up later than Chloe and Beca, reading on her tablet. Some nights, she just studied Beca’s form - face softened with sleep, swollen stomach barely covered by the blankets.

She found herself standing and tucking Beca back in more nights than she cared to admit.

Weirdly enough, Aubrey hadn’t felt any jealousy watching her wife curl up beside Beca in bed. She had fully expected the jealousy - prepared for it, really. Instead, it left behind a warm, fuzzy feeling. The entire thing perplexed her - she was, for once in her life, compelled to leave the office at a normal time in hopes of making it home in time to help Beca prepare dinner, a task the younger woman had taken on.

On this particular evening, Aubrey pulled into her driveway to find that Chloe wasn’t home from work yet, strangely enough. Usually, Chloe beat her home and was already filling the home with laughter and light for Aubrey to come home to.

In a way, she appreciated it. It kept her from having to spend any real alone time with Beca - not that she didn’t want to, it would just be awkward.

She unlocked the door and stepped inside, brows furrowing when she heard the faint sound of music coming from the kitchen. “Beca? I’m home.”

“Oh hey, Bree! In here, making cookies for us. Coconut pecan, your favorite!” Beca poked her head through the archway and waved at Aubrey, large grin on her face. “Oh yeah, Chlo called and said she was going out tonight. Something about dinner with her coworkers after the parent teacher interviews. So it’s just us tonight.”

Aubrey visibly paled at the thought of spending the night alone with Beca. When Chloe was around, it felt so much easier. She picked up conversation when Aubrey was at a loss for words. She was the sunshine and brightness that they needed, making everything so simple.

“I still haven’t turned my phone on, not since I got out of court. I needed a break from the office.” She padded down the hallway, slipping her house shoes on and sighing happily.

“Why don’t you go change into pajamas and I’ll make you some hot cocoa? We can watch movies or something.” Beca offered, shrugging slightly. Ever since she had come to stay with them, she was unusually chipper. Aubrey chalked it up to her having been alone her entire pregnancy, treasuring the company she had now.

Aubrey nodded, offering Beca a small smile. “Only if we catch up on Grey’s. I’ve missed two weeks now for being stuck in the office all night.”

“Only for you, Posen.” Beca smiled, busying herself with her baking while Aubrey went to change.

She came back to find Beca humming along to some song on her iPod that was playing through the kitchen speakers. She was shaking her hips as best as she could, shaking the can of whipped cream and spraying it into two mugs.

“Hey there, dirty dancer.” Aubrey smirked, leaning against the doorframe.

Beca’s jaw nearly dropped at the sight of the other woman - not for the surprise, but the shock of how good she looked in pajamas. Aubrey was usually the last to change at night, but Beca had never seen her looking so effortlessly beautiful. She looked like she was in some sleepwear fashion show, only made better by the white fuzzy slippers she usually wore around the house.

“H-hey. I’ve got your hot cocoa and our cookies.” Beca smiled, setting the drinks and food on a tray and attempting to lift it up and set it on her stomach to help support it. The tray was stolen from her hands, however, by a smiling Aubrey.

“I’ve got that. Go sit.” Aubrey carried the tray to the coffee table, setting it down and taking a long sip from her drink. She let out a soft sigh as the warm drink washed over her tongue.

“Yeah, yeah. Just sit there sipping happily while I try to waddle my way in here.” Beca wore a smirk on her face - happier than it had ever been in their college days. Hell, it was happier than Aubrey had ever seen her - save for the moments when Chloe was around.

“Sorry, it was just that good.” She extended a hand to the other woman, helping ease Beca down to the couch with a soft smile.

Aubrey pulled the stool over in front of Beca, tapping the top so that she would put her feet up. She stood back up, hands on her hips looking slightly confused. After a moment of silent deliberation, she carefully unfolded her favorite blanket and settled it over Beca’s lap, proud of her work.

“Better?” Aubrey asked, sitting herself beside the other woman. Not close enough to be touching, but she could feel the heat radiating from Beca’s body.

“Much. Thanks.” Beca’s voice was soft, cookie already in her mouth as she flipped through the DVR and found Grey’s Anatomy.

They watched in silence for a while, the only sounds in the room coming from their quiet sipping and rustling of the blankets as they reached for another cookie. Beca’s head had fallen to Aubrey’s shoulder at some point, hands on her stomach protectively. Aubrey was nearly asleep when Beca startled, sitting upright and smiling widely at her.

“Are you okay? Is the baby okay?” Aubrey rushed out, face contorted in a look of horrified concern.

“Relax, she’s fine. She’s just kicking.” Beca watched Aubrey’s face fall, silently kicking herself for mentioning it. “Do you…want to feel?”

Aubrey nodded slowly, rummaging around on the couch for a moment. She came up with the remote to the television, pausing her show. Beca resigned herself to Aubrey getting up and leaving either out of jealousy or annoyance when she saw the other woman lift her hand tentatively.

Oh.

Beca gently clasped her hand around Aubrey’s, guiding her hand down to rest on her stomach. She watched as Aubrey’s face contorted, first confused then in awe.

Suddenly there were tears falling down both of their faces, Aubrey’s free hand clapped over her mouth. As a rule of thumb, Beca didn’t cry - especially around other people - but she couldn’t help the tears falling down her face as she watched the pure joy on Aubrey’s face.

“What’re you, uh, what’re you naming her?” Aubrey choked out, free hand swiping over her cheeks as she attempted to dry the tears. Her hand remained on Beca’s stomach, thumb brushing against the skin gently.

“I’m, I was going to ask your opinion? Chloe likes Ella, but I’m not...I didn’t know what you would think.” Beca couldn’t meet Aubrey’s eyes, chewing on her bottom lip as she waited for Aubrey's response.

There was a moment of silence, followed by a shaky intake of air from Aubrey. It was evident that she was fighting to hold back a fresh round of tears, eyes squeezed shut as they dripped down her face despite her best efforts.

“I...oh, Beca.” Aubrey breathed, shaking her head softly. “You know, I’ve got a book full of baby names I like. You’re welcome to pick something from there?”

Beca opened her mouth to speak again, interrupted by the sound of the lock and Chloe clambering into the house. There was a soft thud as Chloe kicked her shoes off and ran into the living room, socks sliding along the hardwood floors and a megawatt smile on her face.

“Hi, my darlings! I’m...oh, why are you crying?” Her lips pursed thoughtfully, eyes darting between the two women.

“Oh, nothing.” Aubrey sniffled, pulling Beca just a little bit closer and dropping a kiss on the mess of dark hair. She couldn’t help herself, it just felt so right.

“Good. I missed you both.” Chloe hummed, leaning down and pressing a kiss to Aubrey’s lips, then to Beca’s. “Squish down, I want in on this cuddle puddle too.”

Chloe squeezed in on Beca’s other side, arms thrown around the smaller woman far enough for her fingertips to gently graze Aubrey’s arm.

And when the hell had they become one big happy sister wife family?

Not that Aubrey minded.

———

The two weeks that followed passed in domestic bliss. Beca cleaned and cooked to the best of her abilities, and the three women spent their evenings laying on the couch wrapped up in each other.

Aubrey felt content for the first time in her life. She knew it couldn’t possibly be permanent, that Beca would have her baby and feel good enough to go back to her apartment, but she couldn’t help but relish in the contentedness for a while longer.

She oftentimes found herself thinking about Beca and Chloe - and the baby - during her work day, usually sending multiple texts to Beca and calling her on her lunch break. It felt good - better than good, actually - to feel so loved, and to love to profoundly in return.

It was twelve - ten minutes to her lunch break - when the phone rang, Beca’s name on the screen. She smiled, picking up the phone and leaning back in her chair.

“Hey, darling.”

“Bree?” Beca whined out, voice sounding small and scared. “Are you there?”

“Yeah honey, I’m here.”

She sat up a little straighter in her chair, the panic in Beca’s voice scaring her a little bit. Aubrey had to resist the urge to run out of the office and home to Beca - not that she was anything to her, because she wasn’t.

“I’m scared. I’m in a lot of pain, Bree. I need you to come home and take me to the hospital, please. Oh god, I’m so sorry. I called Chlo, because she’s just a teacher and she’s not as busy, but she didn’t answer and I’m just sorry.” Beca sobbed out.

Aubrey felt her heart shatter at how utterly scared and helpless she sounded. She was already packing her laptop into her purse and standing up, pressing a few buttons on the office phone to forward her calls. “I’m on my way, baby. Don’t be sorry, you know I’m here for you. I’ll be there as soon as I can. Do you want me to stay on the phone while I drive?”

She sped home faster than she had ever driven before, and she had to admit, she had been speeding home as of late, eager to see Beca and Chloe - and the baby. They remained on the phone, mostly Aubrey reminding Beca to just breathe while she sped through the back roads, knowing for a fact that there weren’t as many hidden officers through there.

“I’m here, do you need me to help you out?”

The line went dead and Beca waddled out of the house, oversized tote bag on her shoulder. Aubrey was glad that she had encouraged Beca to pack her hospital bag in advance, knowing that when the moment hit, she would be in far too much pain to do it herself.

She jumped out of the car and helped Beca across the driveway, making sure she was secure in the car and buckling her seat belt. The bag was safely in the back seat, where the car seat had been installed by a very paranoid Aubrey a week prior.

“My water broke, by the way. I thought I was going pee, and I just kept...gushing. So, I think I’m in labor. Not to panic you or anything.” Beca muttered out the last part, hands gripping the edge of the seat tightly.

“Let’s get to the hospital, we’ll worry about it all when we get there.”

“I love you.” Beca blurt out, bright blush coating her cheeks. “You and Chloe, I mean. I told her this morning but you left before I got up. So yeah, let’s go have our baby.”

“Our...our baby?” Aubrey murmured, tears filling her eyes. Her right hand moved to hold Beca’s, squeezing slightly. “I’d be honored. C’mon, let’s get over there before I have to deliver this little bean on the side of the road.”

Beca had decided to call Chloe again on their way to the hospital, the task distracting herself from the painful contractions. Chloe was understandably distressed, squealing with joy in a way that made Beca and Aubrey share a fond smile.

“Okay baby, we’re at the hospital now, so I’ll meet you down here in just a moment. We love you.” Aubrey called into the car speaker, nervous smile on her lips.

“I love you, Chlo.” Beca grit out, lips tightly pursed as she attempted to breathe through another contraction.

“I love you, my girls. Take care of Beca and I’ll see you in a minute.”

Aubrey ended the call, getting out of the car and finding a wheelchair for Beca. She seemed to be in a lot more pain than when they left and Aubrey was fairly certain that she would be unable to walk. She drove it back to her car and opened Beca’s door, nearly laughing at the horrified look on the younger woman’s face.

“I am not riding in that.”

“Yes you are. You can barely walk.” Aubrey settled her hands on her hips, eyes narrowing as she waited for Beca to inevitably give in.

With a sigh, Beca stood and settled into the chair, bringing a smirk to Aubrey’s face for a split second. She settled Beca’s bag on her shoulder, locking the car before she steered the chair - faster than was probably safe - up to the doors of the hospital.

Within seconds, there were doctors and nurses flocking to them in an overwhelming crowd. Aubrey could feel her hands starting to shake as they were escorted back into a room. She knew that realistically, there wasn’t anything to be afraid of - these were trained medical professionals - but the thought of the baby or Beca being in harm’s way was almost too much to bear.

“And who are you?” The doctor asked, tone accusatory as he hooked Beca up to the monitors. She was moaning in pain and begging for some sort of pain medication, anything to help take the edge off of the pain that Aubrey was sure felt like death, but the doctor seemed to not notice.

“I’m her girlfriend, not that it matters to you. There’s a two visitor limit and we’re two visitors.” She motioned to Chloe, who was frantically making her way down the hall and into the room. “And if you’d shut up and do your job, you’d hear that my girlfriend is in an extreme amount of pain and would like something to help her.”

“Right away, Ma’am.” The doctor nodded, moving to Beca’s bedside and readying his tools to place her epidural line.

“What have I missed?” Chloe asked breathlessly, chest heaving. She looked wild, hair sticking up in places and shirt untucked from her skirt.

She looked about as frazzled as Aubrey felt.

“She’s okay, it won’t be long now. She’s in a lot of pain and...she loves me.” Aubrey whispered out the last statement, eyes sparkling.

“I know she does. Why don’t you run to the bathroom and collect yourself before the real action kicks in?” Chloe’s voice was gentle, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

Aubrey obliged, walking shakily to the bathroom down the hall and standing in front of the mirror. She gripped at the edge of the sink, taking a deep breath and looking in the mirror. It didn’t take a skilled eye to see the nerves on her face. She leaned down, splashing some cool water on her face before patting it dry with a piece of paper towel.

With a sigh, she took one last glance in the mirror before starting down the hallway back to Beca’s room. She sped up at the sound of Beca’s pained screams and Chloe’s shouts, heart racing as she thought of the worst.

“It’s okay, Becs. Come on, just one more.”

“I can’t. I need Aubrey.” Beca sobbed, feet in the stirrups and doctor poised between her legs.

“I’m here, baby. I’m here.” She rushed to her bedside‍, standing beside Chloe and brushing a hand over Beca’s forehead and pulling her hair back into a half bun.

The next few minutes - or was it hours - were a blur, Beca screaming while she pushed. There was blood - a lot of it - and promises that she needed to push ‘just once more’. Aubrey’s hands began to shake, vision spotty. There was just too much blood for her, it seemed.

“I’ve got to...sit down. Come on, Becs. Get that little girl out here.” She offered weakly, trying in vain to take a deep breath.

“Doctor! We need someone over there with the blonde.” A nurse from Beca’s bedside called out, pointing over at Aubrey.

“I’m fine, focus on Beca.” Aubrey whispered, head falling between her knees as she tried to fight the overwhelming dizziness.

A nurse was at her side in an instant, gently pulling her to a seated position. He had a tray with him, needles and vials on it along with an oxygen mask and portable tank. “Ms. Posen, I just need to take some blood and give you some oxygen. Is that okay?”

Aubrey shook her head weakly, craning her neck to look over at Beca. Chloe was at her side, holding her hand and cooing softly. She turned back to the nurse and shook her head again, more volition behind her action this time. “No, I need to be there for Beca - for our baby.”

“It looks like your friend has it handled, Ms. Posen. You, however, don’t look so good.” The doctor offered her the mask, nodding encouragingly as she slipped it onto her face.

She held her arm out for the nurse, turning her head to look over at Chloe and Beca with a weak smile. Chloe looked worried, eyes darting between Aubrey and Beca frantically. She instantly felt bad for putting her wife in such a position, to have to worry about both of them at once. Aubrey gave her a week thumbs up, jutting her head back in Beca’s direction.

The nurse slipped the needle into her arm and she barely noticed, mind otherwise focused on Beca. There was a shout from a doctor saying that it was really one more push, that the head was out. She tried to look - to see their baby - but it was no use, there were too many people in the way.

“Beca, come on...you’re okay, baby.” Chloe cooed, eyes trained on the doctors between her legs.

“And she’s out!” The doctor exclaimed, placing the baby on Beca’s chest.

Aubrey barely got a glimpse at the wriggling purple child, a soft smile on her lips. The wails from the baby were almost drowned out by Chloe and Beca’s happy cries. Aubrey wanted to cry out too - to tell Beca how proud she was - but her head felt too heavy and suddenly her world went black.

———

Aubrey awoke with a groan, bright lights stinging her eyes. She felt as though she had been run over by a truck, muscles and bones achy. There was a doctor standing at her bedside, small smile on his lips.

“Welcome back, Mrs. Posen. I’ve got some results from your blood draw to discuss with you.” He sat on the stool, wheeling himself over to the side of her bed.

“Oh, of course. Is Beca okay? I need to know…”

“She’s fine, so is the baby. Now, about you…” He trailed off, looking over his paperwork quickly. “Low blood sugar caused you to faint, but are you currently receiving any prenatal care?”

“Um, I’m not...why would I?” Aubrey looked genuinely confused, brows furrowed into a little line.

“You’re pregnant, Mrs. Posen. Your wife - Mrs. Beale-Posen - she asked me for the results a while back and you’ve authorized her to receive any details of your care, so she knows. So does Miss. Mitchell.”

Aubrey nodded slowly, sitting up in the bed. “I’m...I can’t believe it. Oh, wow.” She couldn’t imagine life with one baby, let alone two under the age of one. Her heart raced as a bright smile broke out over her face, stomach flipping with a giddy feeling.

“You’re about twelve weeks, so I advise you to find a clinic as soon as possible.” The doctor explained, standing up and smiling at her again. “Congratulations again.”

“Can I?” She motioned to the door, hopeful look on her face. Sure, she was excited about her pregnancy, but she wanted nothing more than to share her excitement with Chloe and Beca - and of course, see their baby.

“I’m afraid you’ll need to stay in here tonight. Tomorrow morning you can go see Miss. Mitchell.”

He exited the room without another word, leaving Aubrey to dwell in the silence of the room. Her heart ached - she hadn’t even gotten a proper chance to look at the baby, let alone check on Beca.

She tried to relax, reclining into the bed, but Aubrey Posen did not relax very well on a normal day, much less under the circumstances. Her heart raced as she laid her hand on her still flat stomach, a small smile spreading across her face.

Her eyes focused on the pole beside the bed, standing up and fastening her IV bags and monitor onto the little cart. She moved to the door, glancing around before padding down to Beca’s room, holding her hospital gown shut as she walked.

“Oh my god, Aubrey!” Chloe squeaked, rushing to her and easing her into the chair beside Beca’s bed.

“I’m okay. I’m fine.” She murmured, eyes trained on the bundle in Beca’s arms. “Give me our baby.”

Beca leaned forward, handing the baby carefully over to Aubrey and smiling fondly. They looked so adorable, Aubrey cooing to the little bundle while Chloe kissed the mess of blonde hair.

“What’s her name, Becs?” She was still looking down at the baby, eyes lighting up when the baby yawned.

“Eloise Juniper...Posen-Beale, if that’s okay?”

“Oh, Beca…” Aubrey breathed out, tears filling her eyes. Eloise was one of the names on her name list, something she had loved since she was a small child. Looking at the little girl in her arms, she couldn’t think of someone who suit the name better.

“Posen-Beale because of your little bundle on the way in...six months.” Beca smiled, laughing softly as Chloe squealed behind Aubrey.

“Oh, Bree, I’m just so excited. I love babies.” Her hands were clasped under her chin, rocking on the balls of her feet.

“Are you ready for two babies in under a year?” Aubrey raised an eyebrow, passing the baby to Chloe’s waiting arms and reclining the chair. She found a blanket on the floor, pulling it over herself and closing her eyes. “You know what? Let’s not stress out right now. I’m really tired.”

“Why don’t you go back to your room, babe?” Beca’s voice was soft, leaning forward to rest a hand on Aubrey’s.

“I can’t sleep without stupid you and your stupid snoring. Shut up.” She glared at Beca before relaxing back into the chair and closing her eyes.

“Yeah, well I couldn’t have slept well without your stupid sleep talking either.” 


End file.
